Credit Union Assisting Underserved Areas with Financial Literacy
January 28, 2013
Winston-Salem, N.C. Thanks to Truliant Federal Credit Unions Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL) Entrepreneurship Program, small business owners and entrepreneurs are receiving a comprehensive education on financial and business literacy in underserved and rural communities in North Carolina.
Truliant FCU used an innovative and experiential entrepreneurship training curriculum, developed by North Carolina REAL Enterprises, Inc., an organization whose mission is to develop entrepreneurial talent through action learning and to foster the creation of sustainable enterprises throughout North Carolina, with special emphasis on rural communities.
Truliant FCU received a grant for the REAL Entrepreneurship program last year from the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) to cover the cost of instruction and materials for program classes.
"Our goal is to work with entrepreneurs in low wealth and rural communities to provide money management skills that improve their financial position and also build their financial strength to access more products and services," according to Marjorie Rorie, Director of Community Services for Truliant FCU.
"Truliant FCUs focus on experiential learning for their REAL Entrepreneurship program is a great approach," said Lois Kitsch, National Program Director at NCUF. "At the National Credit Union Foundation, weve found experiential learning strategies to be one of the keys to a successful financial literacy program."
Last year, Truliant FCU launched the six-week workshop series in partnership with local nonprofits in six counties surrounding Truliant Member Financial Centers in North Carolina. So far, Truliant has implemented five cycles of the workshop series with the last one completing in March 2013. 54 people in underserved areas have attended and completed workshops.
Truliant FCU used an innovative and experiential entrepreneurship training curriculum, developed by North Carolina REAL Enterprises, Inc., an organization whose mission is to develop entrepreneurial talent through action learning and to foster the creation of sustainable enterprises throughout North Carolina, with special emphasis on rural communities.
Truliant FCU received a grant for the REAL Entrepreneurship program last year from the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) to cover the cost of instruction and materials for program classes.
"Our goal is to work with entrepreneurs in low wealth and rural communities to provide money management skills that improve their financial position and also build their financial strength to access more products and services," according to Marjorie Rorie, Director of Community Services for Truliant FCU.
"Truliant FCUs focus on experiential learning for their REAL Entrepreneurship program is a great approach," said Lois Kitsch, National Program Director at NCUF. "At the National Credit Union Foundation, weve found experiential learning strategies to be one of the keys to a successful financial literacy program."
Last year, Truliant FCU launched the six-week workshop series in partnership with local nonprofits in six counties surrounding Truliant Member Financial Centers in North Carolina. So far, Truliant has implemented five cycles of the workshop series with the last one completing in March 2013. 54 people in underserved areas have attended and completed workshops.